Stage Details

Legislation -
Bill Passed
(House)
(265-155) -
July 25, 2013(Key vote)

Vote Result

Yea Votes

Nay Votes

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes states to regulate coal combustion residuals.

Highlights:

Authorizes any state to adopt, implement, and enforce a coal combustion residual permit program to regulate management and disposal of coal combustion residuals (Sec. 2).

Defines “coal combustion residuals” as solid coal combustion wastes that are produced in conjunction with the combustion of coal (Sec. 2).

Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from enforcing regulations of coal combustion residuals in any state that is implementing a permit program except in the following circumstances (Sec. 2):

The governor of the state notifies the Administrator that the state will not implement a program;

The state is notified of, but fails to remedy, program deficiencies; or

The state notifies the Administrator that it will no longer implement such a program.

Requires the owner or operator of a structure that receives coal combustion residuals to acquire annual certification by an independent registered professional engineer that the structure is compliant with “generally accepted good” engineering practices (Sec. 2).

Requires the owner or operator of a structure that receives coal combustion residuals to cover or wet coal combustion residuals to prevent wind dispersal (Sec. 2).

Requires the owner or operator of a structure that receives coal combustion residuals to construct the structure with a base at least 2 feet above the upper limit of the water table (Sec. 2).

Requires the owner or operator of a structure that receives coal combustion residuals to construct the structure with a composite liner which meets existing federal specifications at any structure that receives the residuals (Sec. 2)

Requires a state that decides to implement a permit program submit to certify to the Administrator that the state has statutes or regulations required within 36 months of the enactment of this bill (Sec. 2).

Authorizes an implementing agency to obtain any necessary information to determine whether a structure that receives coal combustion residuals is being operated in accordance with the requirements of this bill (Sec. 2).

Requires the implementing agency to ensure that minimum requirements concerning environmental safety and hazardous conditions for a permit program are met no later than (Sec. 2):

A period of 12 months after a state submits its certification;

A period of 42 months after the Administrator receives notice that a state will not operate its own permit program; or

A period of 48 months after the enactment of a program that is being implemented by the Administrator.

Authorizes an implementing agency to extend the deadline for meeting a groundwater protection standard except in cases where there has been contamination of public or private drinking water systems (Sec. 2).

Requires the implementing agency to issue a final permit or final denial for an application no later than (Sec. 2):

A period of 48 months after the state submits its certification;

A period of 78 months after the Administrator receives notice from a state that it does not intend to operate its own permit program; or

A period of 84 months after the enactment of such program that is being implemented by the Administrator.

Requires an implementing agency to notify an owner or operator of a structure that receives coal combustion residuals of the obligation to apply for and obtain a permit as described in this bill no later than (Sec. 2):

A period of 12 months after a state submits certification of a permit program;

A period of 30 months after a state notifies the Administrator that it does not intend to develop a permit program; or